The real problems with private equity

The mooted $45bn buyout of US power group TXU by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Texas Pacific looks set to break records as the biggest ever private equity deal. But in the UK the industry was in no mood to celebrate.

The latest mooted private equity deal - a $45bn buyout of Texas power group TXU by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Texas Pacific - could set a new record for the biggest ever deal. But in the UK, the industry was in no mood to celebrate. Damon Buffini, head of Europe's biggest private-equity house, Permira, has had to break cover to defend it from charges that it represents "the ugly face of capitalism".

Behind the name-calling lie two persistent accusations: private equity axes jobs and lacks transparency, said Tony Jackson in the FT. The first doesn't really stand up; necessary job cuts help productivity and growth, while cutting real jobs damages assets and makes fundraising harder. Greater disclosure would be nice, but private equity is still bound by the same requirements as other private firms.

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